I bought myself a pair of these just before I rode down to Babbacombe last week. I’d done my research, I’d taken a calculated punt on them but how did they fair on the trip?
Cost aside, it’s easy to see why these pannier bags are so popular. In every nook and cranny of the internet, Ortlieb Back Roller Classic Pannier Bags have received great reviews for years. Solid, well made, they appear to last a long time backed up by a (rare) 5 year warranty. The hardest decision is trying to convince yourself not to invest the £120 a pair and what colour to go for.
I had looked at other brands of pannier bags quite extensively and Vaude probably came closest but given I already had an Ortlieb rack, the reviews and the cost based on the bags lasting me years, it was a done deal. I couldn’t resist.
Weight: 950g per bag
Height: 42cm
Width – top: 32cm
Width – bottom: 23cm
Volume: 20L per bag
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and my new bags arrived neatly folded in a recyclable cardboard box with a cute window showing off the Petrol colour I had chosen.
The two bags in the box are separate and come with an optional shoulder strap for each bag and three sets of inserts to suit the tube diameter of your rack.
The grey inserts are easy to fit. You simply push each size onto your rack tube to find the best fit then simply push them into the bag clamps until they click into place. That is it. Fit and forget.
The bags are made from a very durable polyester fabric which is both stiff enough to retain shape and form but supple enough to fold. The 20 litre bag features a simple roll top enclosure that is held in place by a retractable clip and belt ensuring the are waterproof, in fact rated IP64. It didn’t rain on my trip but I did spill some of my water bottle on the bag and the water just beads and rolls off as you would expect. I’d be confident the contents would be dry in heavy rain.
Inside the cavernous bag there is a zipped pocket and space behind it to slip something in relatively flat like a tablet or small laptop or phone. I took a wireless keyboard with me so I could write my blogs and used this space which was ideal.
Fitting the bags to the rack is as quick as you want it to be. The Ortlieb QL2.1 system has been around a while now and is well-tested. I decided to take a bit of time, while I was away, to ensure the fit was solid with no chance of them rattling around on the rack but you can just click them on and go if you want too.
The QL2.1 system is quite neat. Firstly, positioning the top clamps horizontally is a breeze. Undo the lock lever, slide to where you need them, lock back in place. Done. As you hold the bag, under its own weight it automatically opens the spring-loaded horizontal clamps that go around the underside of the rack tube making it really easy to pop the bags onto the rack. Letting go of the handle releases them ensuring the bags cannot bounce off the rack.
To stop the bag flapping outwards, you can undo, slide and adjust a lower lever 360 degrees to further secure the bag around a lower arm on the rack. You tighten this by hand but there are grooves in the dial so you can make them tighter with a coin for example. This was something I particularly liked for peace of mind as applying enough force to the dial, when the bag was in place, was compromised by bag’s proximity to my rack and spokes.
The bag is further strengthened and protected by a plastic bar that runs around lower edge of the bag to prevent damage from contact with the rack.
The bag enjoys some Scotchlite reflective detail on the black side walls which also, at the top on either side, retains clamps to fit the shoulder strap. I didn’t use these, instead I preferred a neater, tighter roll of the top of the bag which meant they were pushed inside and hidden prior to roll and closure.
Another feature I liked was a thin piece of flat bar embedded in the one side of the roll top which made it easier to roll the bag top down horizontally around it. You can get a nice tight roll. Once rolled, clip the retaining strap in and pull tight to hold. Very slick, very neat.
From a construction point of view, the bags are superb. High quality design and materials have evidently gone into them which is why they are so popular.
So how did the bags perform on the ride? Full disclosure, for maximum rattle-free enjoyment, prior to going I did add some insulation tape to my rack at the contact points so the clamps were nice and snug and didn’t move. It was something I was glad I did because I did ride some very quiet, often broken and bumpy lanes including canal towpath and the bags stayed in place and quiet. Nothing I threw at them seemed to move or bother them so for me they did a great job and were faultless. All I had to do was move my bag back a touch on day two because my heel was brushing the sidewall occasionally.
TIP: Always place your pannier bags as far forward as you can for the best weight distribution.
For my 3 day trip, I only needed one bag which had room to spare. My kit list in the bag was as follows:
- 2 x cycling kit (jersey, bib-shorts, base layer, socks)
- trainers
- 2 x underwear, 2 x socks
- waterproof jacket
- t-shirt
- shorts
- toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap)
- chamois cream, baby lotion
- wireless keyboard
The bag performed faultlessly and taking into account how well made they are I have to give them 5 out of 5.
If you are in the market for pannier bags you’d be a fool to not consider a pair of these. Only the cost is reason for some not to go for them but if they last years then that investment suddenly becomes more attractive.
I can’t wait for my next mini-tour so I can use them again.
Adios